Welcome to The Wildroot Parables weekly discussions! This is where we can come together as a community and have real talk with one another: open, honest, gracious, and curious.
This is YOUR space to discuss with each other, not just engage with me! Because of this, SAFE SHARING is my highest priority. If you are not engaging safely and with grace with others, you will have to leave. Period.
On Monday, our devotional was about how it looks to take the long way ‘round, avoiding the quick fix, and growing in the process.
Today, tell us about a situation when you took a shortcut and it didn’t go the way you hoped. And/or tell us about a time when you took the long way—whether on purpose or by force—and found unexpected value in it!
Three of us were traveling together after graduation, exploring the world, celebrating. It was my job to book places to stay, my husband's job to book train tickets. Despite sitting across the room from each other, there was a break in communication. I found a cute AirBnb on the outskirts of town (note: outskirts); he got us an early morning train to our next stop (note: early morning). Alas! Buses, taxis do not run that early, and it wasn't just a few blocks - try 11 km. So, we got up at 3 in the morning, loaded our backpacks, and set out. When I said I wanted to backpack Europe, this wasn't quite what I meant, walking along roads with only occasional passing trucks for company, no sidewalks, little lighting. But we made it memorable, singing old scouting songs and laughing together. It wasn't what I wanted, but I'm so glad it's what I got!
May 24, 2023·edited May 24, 2023Liked by S.E. Reid
Walking with someone I supposedly called "friend" in middle school. My only friend, and hardly a friend. At that moment, I still felt mad about her lying to me about something that summer. She didn't want to walk alone—I really had to pee so bad and I planned rushing back home. It was awful. I ended up peeing my pants after she and I parted ways. Thankfully, I peed on a wet pavement in front of a house that had millions of sprinklers on. I tied my sweater to my waist to cover my shameless pants.
There was more to this story honestly. But, the unexpected value was the humor that can come from knowing who your real friends are. I thought I could think of a more poetic moment for this, but I guess not. Haha.
I've done things the hard way--learning through experience. I jump into things. I'm grateful I have. All of the "crazy" things I've done--moved to LA alone as a young person, decided to become a writer, volunteering for too much, too often, selling cars and doing stunts--I would NOT have done if I knew more or thought too much.
I can thank my ignorance (of what to fear ahead) for many of the things I've done in life. "Innocent ignorance," it's often been my fuel, allowing me freedom to move forward.
I'm reading Neil Simon's memoir, "Rewrites," and I like this quote:
"Your horizons can expand, however, if you allow yourself the possibility of failure. You must, in fact, court failure. Let her be your temptress. There must be danger in the attempt and no net strung across the abyss to break your fall. And then there are the lucky few who have the innocent ignorance of not even realizing that danger exists"
I feel like I'm on the long road of life sometimes. My short fiction yesterday at Gibberish "The Plan" touches on this theme. I know comparison is unhelpful but I see other people doing the things I wish I could be doing and things just haven't worked out that way. I tell myself that there is a purpose to all this and my life is not devoid of blessings, so it's not a fair comparison. But the story I told myself for how my life would go has diverged significantly from the actual life I am living. There's nowhere I can say I took a wrong turn, it's just what God has written for me is different. Different isn't bad, and the destination isn't somehow less worthy because it took longer to get to the same place.
This event comes to mind: Jumping off a train in the middle of Kenya because he was in a hurry and the train was taking too long. Trekked through the village at daybreak to the road. First car that came along was headed to Uganda via Nairobi - our goal. We got there on time, but I’m still questioning his judgement.
The short cut - an afternoon coffee to power through. (Awake until 1am)
The long way round - planning my weeks more internationally and seasonally to make sure I’m taking care of myself so I can also be of service to others on my heart centred path!
The long way... walking!
Setting: a small town in France, summer.
Three of us were traveling together after graduation, exploring the world, celebrating. It was my job to book places to stay, my husband's job to book train tickets. Despite sitting across the room from each other, there was a break in communication. I found a cute AirBnb on the outskirts of town (note: outskirts); he got us an early morning train to our next stop (note: early morning). Alas! Buses, taxis do not run that early, and it wasn't just a few blocks - try 11 km. So, we got up at 3 in the morning, loaded our backpacks, and set out. When I said I wanted to backpack Europe, this wasn't quite what I meant, walking along roads with only occasional passing trucks for company, no sidewalks, little lighting. But we made it memorable, singing old scouting songs and laughing together. It wasn't what I wanted, but I'm so glad it's what I got!
Walking with someone I supposedly called "friend" in middle school. My only friend, and hardly a friend. At that moment, I still felt mad about her lying to me about something that summer. She didn't want to walk alone—I really had to pee so bad and I planned rushing back home. It was awful. I ended up peeing my pants after she and I parted ways. Thankfully, I peed on a wet pavement in front of a house that had millions of sprinklers on. I tied my sweater to my waist to cover my shameless pants.
There was more to this story honestly. But, the unexpected value was the humor that can come from knowing who your real friends are. I thought I could think of a more poetic moment for this, but I guess not. Haha.
I've done things the hard way--learning through experience. I jump into things. I'm grateful I have. All of the "crazy" things I've done--moved to LA alone as a young person, decided to become a writer, volunteering for too much, too often, selling cars and doing stunts--I would NOT have done if I knew more or thought too much.
I can thank my ignorance (of what to fear ahead) for many of the things I've done in life. "Innocent ignorance," it's often been my fuel, allowing me freedom to move forward.
I'm reading Neil Simon's memoir, "Rewrites," and I like this quote:
"Your horizons can expand, however, if you allow yourself the possibility of failure. You must, in fact, court failure. Let her be your temptress. There must be danger in the attempt and no net strung across the abyss to break your fall. And then there are the lucky few who have the innocent ignorance of not even realizing that danger exists"
I feel like I'm on the long road of life sometimes. My short fiction yesterday at Gibberish "The Plan" touches on this theme. I know comparison is unhelpful but I see other people doing the things I wish I could be doing and things just haven't worked out that way. I tell myself that there is a purpose to all this and my life is not devoid of blessings, so it's not a fair comparison. But the story I told myself for how my life would go has diverged significantly from the actual life I am living. There's nowhere I can say I took a wrong turn, it's just what God has written for me is different. Different isn't bad, and the destination isn't somehow less worthy because it took longer to get to the same place.
This event comes to mind: Jumping off a train in the middle of Kenya because he was in a hurry and the train was taking too long. Trekked through the village at daybreak to the road. First car that came along was headed to Uganda via Nairobi - our goal. We got there on time, but I’m still questioning his judgement.
The short cut - an afternoon coffee to power through. (Awake until 1am)
The long way round - planning my weeks more internationally and seasonally to make sure I’m taking care of myself so I can also be of service to others on my heart centred path!